How do we get more affordable housing from concept to construction faster, with less cost and less reinvention?

HeadStart Affordable is a new design platform built around that question.

Developed for mid-rise housing using mass timber and hybrid building systems, it gives housing providers a coordinated starting point they can adapt to their site, unit mix, local requirements and community needs.

The idea is simple: start with what’s already been learned, rather than starting from scratch.

The platform draws on experience from more than 20 mass timber and hybrid affordable housing projects and brings architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical design together in one adaptable package.

It was developed through the collaboration of MidRise5, mcCallumSather, Trave Structural and DEI Consulting Engineers, bringing together expertise in affordable housing, architecture, engineering, mass timber and modern methods of construction.

We’re sharing what we’ve learned because getting more affordable housing built will take new approaches to how we design and deliver it.